Copyright © 2020 University of Bucharest Rom Biotechnol Lett. 2020; 25(1): 1202-1207 Printed in Romania. All rights reserved doi: 10.25083/rbl/25.1/1202.1207 ISSN print: 1224-5984 ISSN online: 2248-3942 *Corresponding author: MIRCEA TAMPA , “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 37, Dionisie Lupu, 020021, Bucharest, Romania E-mail: tampa_mircea@yahoo.com Received for publication, November, 10, 2018 Accepted, March, 29, 2019 Original paper Economic and environmental determinants of dermato-venereal diseases in the European community area. An econometric approach CALCEDONIA ENACHE 1,2 , MIRCEA TAMPA 3,4* , IONUȚ SILVIU BEIA 2 , SIMONA ROXANA GEORGESCU 3,4 1 Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania 2 University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Bucharest, Romania 3 “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania 4 “Victor Babes” Clinical Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Bucharest, Romania Abstract Human skin acts as a barrier between the organism and the external milieu, being subjected and permanently responding to aggressions from various environment factors. Through alteration of cutaneous microbiome, production of reactive oxygen species, activation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor and induction of inflammation cascades within skin cells, pollutants trigger and/or aggravate a multitude of skin conditions, subsequently leading to a large number of consultations in dermatology services, and therefore, to greater health expenditures. Our model proves that the number of hospital admissions in dermatology services throughout the European Union is positively correlated with air pollutants and current health care expenditure and negatively correlated with pollution abatement capital expenditures. Keywords Skin diseases, air pollutants, healthcare. To cite this article: ENACHE C, TAMPA M, BEIA IS, GEORGESCU SR. Economic and environmental determinants of dermato-venereal diseases in the European community area. An econometric approach. Rom Biotechnol Lett. 2020; 25(1): 1202-1207. DOI: 10.25083/rbl/25.1/1202.1207